Battery-powered electrical products generally contain a section into which a battery is inserted, the section having therein electrical contacts for contacting the battery and coupling it to electrical circuits within the product. Such battery sections have an opening through which the battery is inserted into the housing and a cover for covering the opening to prevent the battery from dislodging from the battery section. Although reference is made to a battery, it will be appreciated that the same is true of products which incorporate more than one battery, and any references to "a battery" herein are intended to imply one or more batteries.
In commonly available portable consumer products, such as two-way radios and pagers, a variety of attachment means are employed to secure the battery door to the product casing or housing. Commonly, locking mechanisms are incorporated to prevent the battery cover from unexpectedly opening and/or detaching from the product; for example, when the product is inadvertently dropped to the ground. Such locking mechanisms are often provided as a supplementary attachment where a primary attachment means, such as a latch, may not provide adequate protection when the product is dropped. Products which do not incorporate such locking mechanisms are generally more prone to opening when the product is subject to an unexpected impact, due to the loading on the battery door caused by the battery. Although supplementary locking mechanisms may ensure adequate attachment, they result in additional component and manufacturing costs. In addition, such mechanisms often add to the complexity of the product.
In light of the above, what is needed is a battery cover which may be easily attached and removed from a battery housing without the need for a secondary locking mechanism. Furthermore, the cover should be able to withstand the impact from an accidental drop without opening.